Maddox, Zippi on wrong side of Nichols’ fence

One can tell a lot about people by the company they keep.

Assemblyman Ken Maddox and state Assembly candidate Marianne Zippi

should keep this in mind if ever questioned about accepting and

retaining Newport Beach Councilman Dick Nichols’ endorsement.

Both Maddox, who will seek a state Senate seat in the March

primary, and Zippi, who seeks to replace him in the assembly,

accepted Nichols’ stamp of approval before the councilman suggested

that grassy improvements at the Corona del Mar State Beach would

attract Mexicans, who he said would end up staying there all day.

But they’ve now had a chance to erase Nichols’ name from the list

and have decided against it.

It’s respectful that Maddox and Zippi are sticking with one of

their supporters, but they shouldn’t be surprised if that decision

comes up time and time again during their respective elections.

Voters do tend to remember the most recent occurrences at election

time, but looking at Nichols’ track record, it wouldn’t be surprising

if he made another faux pas closer to the March election.

At the same time, knowing Nichols’ track record, it would be

understandable if Maddox and Zippi dropped him from their list of

endorsements. He has made several questionable statements that some

voters -- especially in Newport Beach -- will remember.

In the future of their campaigns, however, it would behoove Maddox

and Zippi to have their people perform background checks of those

from whom they ask endorsements. That way, they won’t find themselves

in such an unenviable predicament. They could have avoided this one.